Adobe Captivate: Text Entry That Sticks Around

by Kevin Siegel   

A client wanted us to create a software simulation that would allow learners to fill out part of a spreadsheet. In addition, as learners moved from cell to cell, the client wanted the learners to see what they had typed in the previous cells and change the text.

You can use text entry boxes to simulate areas in an application that require a learner to type data. But simulating a spreadsheet? That can get tricky, especially if you want to ensure that the learner will continue to see and edit what they typed as they move through the spreadsheet.

Fortunately, you can insert multiple text entry boxes onto a single Captivate slide. By playing around with the Timing and Actions for those objects, you can create the illusion of a learner filling out even complex forms and spreadsheets.

Here are your steps to success:

1. Insert a new slide in a Captivate project, and then set the slide Timing to 4 seconds.
     
2. Insert a Text Entry Box on the new slide (Insert > Standard Objects > Text Entry Box).
3. On the Properties panel, General group, select Validate User Input if there is something specific you want the learner to type. Otherwise, do not select Validate User Input.
   
4. If you selected Validate User Input, you'll see a Correct Entries screen on the slide. You can click the large plus sign to add a Correct Entry.
     
5. From the Action group, On success drop-down menu, select Continue.
      
6. From the Options group, select your desired Options. In my example, I did not Validate the User Input so I deselected all of the options.
     
7. From the Transition group, change the Effect to No Transition.
     
8. On the Timing group, set the Text Entry box to display for rest of slide.
9. Set the Appear After to 0 seconds.
     
10. Insert a second Text Entry Box.
11. If you'd like, once again ensure that Validate User Input is selected and add a correct entry. 
12. As you did for the first Text Entry Box, select Continue as the On success Action.
13. From the Options group, select your desired options.
14. From the Transition group, change the Effect to No Transition.
15. From the Timing group, set the Text Entry box to display for rest of slide.
16. Set the Appear After to 2 seconds.
     
17. Position the Text Entry Boxes on the slide. In the image below, I've stacked them vertically.
      

If you preview the project, you'll be able to type in the first text box. When you press Enter, the text you typed in the first box will stick around as you enter text into the second text box.

  

The trick was staggering when each text entry box appeared (you spaced the timing out by 2 seconds); and telling each of the text entry boxes to display for the rest of slide.

Note: I've posted a video demo of this process to the IconLogic YouTube channel. The video was created using Captivate's Video Demonstration mode.

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